Perry’s campaign [claimed] it had submitted 11,911 signatures, but a Republican source [says] that the Texas governor did not submit the required 10,000. …

Some candidates didn’t submit signatures, reports the Washington Post: “Republican presidential candidates Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum.” The candidates who did submit signatures and are expected to qualify are “Romney, Perry, Paul and former House speaker Newt Gingrich.”

Virginia, an increasingly important swing state, will hold its primary on Super Tuesday, March 6.

Romney became the first Republican presidential candidate Tuesday to submit signatures for Virginia’s primary election ballot.

On Thursday morning, Gingrich said at an event outside Richmond that his campaign was still collecting signatures, but expected to have enough.

A poll released Wednesday showed Gingrich with a slight lead over Romney among Virginia Republicans in the race for president. The Quinnipiac University poll shows Gingrich at 30 percent and Romney at 25 percent among Republican voters. …

So. Rick Perry’s campaign staff’s big goof is one thing. But what about the candidates who flat out didn’t submit signatures? (They are Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum.)

Should we not take their campaigns seriously? What if one of them breaks out of the pack and begins to overtake the current front-runners? Virginia is a state that is most definitely “up for grabs” in November 2012.

Republican George “Macaca” Allen has a very good shot at retaking his U.S. Senate seat, especially since Jim Webb, who defeated Allen five years ago, is not running for reelection. And, best I recall, recent polls of Virginia voters have shown that the GOP presidential candidates could defeat Obama.

Have any of the candidates — besides Romney — actually developed solid contacts in all 50 states? I’ve been reminiscing about the days I worked on the Howard Dean campaign (hush, you).

Clear out West, where I live, we were already having monthly Meet-Ups starting in August 2003 … comparably, that would mean that the current crop of GOP candidates should have already been holding gatherings in all 50 states this PAST SUMMER. And Howard Dean had already held rallies and fundraisers in Seattle, Portland, and cities in California.

So I’m baffled by this bunch of GOP candidates and their lack of plotting a national campaign. Someone explain this to me. Please.

Good grief, can’t any of the GOP contenders get their act together? Or is this all a conspiracy to eliminate all contenders so that Romney can be their poster child nominee? I hope I eat my words in November ’12, but if Romney is the GOP choice for Prez. then we will be stuck with BO & MO for another four years.

Anonymous

I can understand if you don’t “like” or “want” Romney but how is it some how his fault if the Perry campaign is incompetent?

A conspiracy? Looks more like some dumb asses fumbled the ball.

Anonymous

I wasn’t suggesting that it was Romney’s fault that Perry and Gingrich both blew it. I was just stating my frustration with the whole GOP bunch. In my opinion (and that is all it is), they are all looking like incompetents, just in varying degrees.

yttik

It doesn’t really matter, primaries are simply expensive beauty pageants and have little or nothing to do with who the two parties nominate at their conventions.

In Wa we won’t be having any candidates on our ballot at all because we’ve totally canceled our primary due to budget cuts.

Primaries are not open elections where the people choose the candidates. The two parties select who they are going to have represent them and they can do this anyway they want, including completely ignoring various state primaries and caucuses. In the grand scheme of things, it’s completely irrelevant who is on the ballot in Virginia.

Wbboe

Theoretically yes. But as a practical matter no. This development still plays to Romney’s advantage. I do not think they have superdelegates like the dims do, which if memory serves was a compromise position developed after the 1968 convention which was designed to strike a balance between the elites who wanted to retain power and the challengers who wanted to democratize the party. Democratize the dimocrat party? Now there is an oxymoron for you–especially after March 31, 2008.

Anonymous

I found out a little detail that makes running for office a good thing for one’s financial future even if one loses. The campaign financing laws say that a candidate cannot keep the money donated to his campaign, but he can keep the interest it generates. He can also maintain the campaign fund even if he isn’t running at the moment, and still get the interest from it. I figured that is why Obama wants to raise a billion.. the interest would be in the tens of millions even if he lost, and he gets to keep that. So do the failed Republican candidates, and they can keep their campaign fund even if they aren’t running any more, for future elections. So they still get the interest. Interesting, isn’t it?

Anonymous

Stick a fork in it Perry. You are done. Back Huntsman.

Anonymous

Though the ballot access system is total bullshit and needs to be canned and VA voters are getting screwed over in choices.

Saying that, Ron Paul will take Virginia…..

Anonymous

yep.

http://twitter.com/Juliezzz Juliezzz

well of course I hope so!!!

getfitnow

This is what is referred to as “having an organization on the ground.” It’s part of the campaign management skill.

Anonymous

When the only two candidates to make the ballot are the two (best funded ?) that have run previous, I agree with Bronwyn that you have to look at whether Virginia’s access rules are among the most restrictive in the country. At least to me 10,000 seems like a huge number at a point in the cycle most Americans can barely name the candidates, never mind signing for them or hanging on their every word.

Dorinda

Their rules are well-known to be the most restrictive in the country.

http://twitter.com/Juliezzz Juliezzz

Perry last I looked was pretty well funded.

And Newt last I heard had a petition signing party in Virginia at which he charged people 25 bucks to get in. I wouldn’t be spending 25 bucks to sign his petition. Not smart.

Romney of course has tons of big money backing him

But, Paul has mostly small donors and people willing to work hard for him.

William L. Donlon

I Agree Getfitnow.

ALSO:

Hopefully It Means A Good Old Knock Down Drag Em Out “Brokered Convention”.

Hopefully It Means An End To All These “Bullshit Debates” — You know “Thin sliced Vs. Thick Crust”

Hopefully It Means The “A-Team” Enters The Contest.

Hopefully It Means An End To The Influence Of The Corrupt Democratic – Media Complex.

Hopefully It Means A Third Party That Offers A “Real Choice”.

And Finally —

Hopefully It Means The American People Will Wake From Their Long Slumber And Give The “Political Establishment” A Good Ass Kicking And Get This Country Back On Track.

As I am a resident of the great state of Virignia, this was astounding news. Gingrich is out as of early this am, lacking addresses on close to 2000 signatures. Without an address, the name cannot be verified in the voter file. There was also a question as to whether one of the collectors was qualified. You must live and be a registered voter in the CD in which you are gathering signatures.

Lots of conspiracy talk going around the GOP circles and blogs. It is speculated that Perry will challenge” but that’s doubtful.

Bronwyn said “Republican George “Macaca” Allen has a very good shot at retaking his U.S. Senate seat, especially since Jim Webb, who defeated Allen five years ago, is not running for reelection. And, best I recall, recent polls of Virginia voters have shown that the GOP presidential candidates could defeat Obama.” There’s no indication in the polling or general consensus that Allen has a very good shot at winning. In fact, polls have been essentially tied, within the MOE for many months. Kaine was up by 5 in one recent poll. Allen is a bufoon and is seen as such in the GOP grassroots. You only have to read the blogs. Only Romney has consistently polled ahead of Obama. Not so the others, except perhaps once. This state is truly a toss up.

Wonder what this is going to do to upset the applecart in this race. I don’t think its clear yet.

Anonymous

I have worked ballot access and have found the parties in Virginia to be totally full of it when it comes to ballot access laws. Both parties make is very difficult for folk to get on the ballot. The ones getting screwed here are the voters.

Dorinda

The ballot access numbers are state election code and not by party. Both parties must meet these numbers and for any statewide race, not just presidential.

Wbboe

The investigations going on now in Indiana and elsewhere by state officials and ignored by the uber corrupt Holder indicate that Obam a got on the ballot there by obtaining forged signatures to satisfy this requirement. I would not want to be chairman of the Virginia Republican Party right now. I would feel like I fumbled the game winning touchdown–and have to live with that for the rest of my life. Not fun.

Dorinda

And I would add the head of the RPV, Bob McDonnell, will likely take a bit of heat as well. Curious to speculate about what this may do to his chances for VP spot.

Dorinda

And I would add the head of the RPV, Bob McDonnell, will likely take a bit of heat as well. Curious to speculate about what this may do to his chances for VP spot.

Anonymous

Dorinda… The code is established by members of the party elected to office…. Virginia has one of the most ridiculous sets of laws covering ballots access. The idea is not to make it easy for anyone to get on the ballot who has no “party” or “organizational” influence or financing.

Anonymous

Thanks for educating me on George Allen’s current standing — the news I’d heard must have been old, or incorrect. — Bronwyn

Anonymous

Bronwyn I asked for your help up-thread where somehow a funny little gif I used on one comment hitchhiked along to a very solemn comment I did on wreaths at Arlington Cemetery. Could you please help. I am most distressed about this.

Anonymous

Bronwyn I asked for your help up-thread where somehow a funny little gif I used on one comment hitchhiked along to a very solemn comment I did on wreaths at Arlington Cemetery. Could you please help. I am most distressed about this.

Wbboe

He had a strong shot before this. Kaine is also a buffoon. He looks like a mongoloid idiot.

Anonymous

How can you take someone seriously for POTUS when they make an “oops” of this magnitude? Or take people seriously who don’t seem to take a National Campaign seriously?

Can’t explain it to you cause I don’t understand either.

(I know and sympathise with the embarrassment of admitting to having once supported Howard Dean. Shhhh.)

But don’t you see it is a key primary in a state which the Republicans had aspirations to beat Obama and it is a firewall state for Obama. As the article by Moe Lane points out, this will cause the tea party which is strong in that state to conclude that this was a rigged thing. That is the problem.

Anonymous

Sounds to me like most of these candidates planned on dropping out before Virginia. They must have been running for the sole purpose of increasing their employment opportunities.

Wbboe

Unfortunately, there are some political developments coming after the first of the year that do not make me happy and will not make you happy either. They will render many of our current assumptions about the 2012 race inaccurate, if not obsolete. Not good.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MCA6QIPPR3EXRQRYL3MVYJSKLQ Joe

I am starting to think the possibility of a true Third Party spoiler is in the making. Is there an Intrade bet on this yet?

In a little more than 60 days the American people will find our selves right back in the middle of the damn payrolltax/docfix/UEextension/keystonepipe debacle all over again; it will not be pretty.

The distaste for our entire government is really growing. Based on more than one conversation between strangers I happened to overhear yesterday in my day-before-the-day before adventures, pitchforks may be closer than ever.

Wbboe

No. Trust me. There will be no third party with the democrats. And not with the Republicans either.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MCA6QIPPR3EXRQRYL3MVYJSKLQ Joe

Don’t be so sure…

At some point, the number of people that will be more inclined to choose “none of the above” over a dem or rep will ultimately make that choice, and I think that time may be at hand.

Especially in light of the incumbant party that will not offer an alternative by design, or the challenging party which seems to determined to eliminate choices, again by design.

Wbboe

Guarantee you it won’t happen in the Dimocrat party. On the Republican side, when they shut down Paul it could morph into something like that. I am in favor of anything that neutralizes the power of the Washington elites who have proven themselves perfectly incapable of protecting the interests of the American people, and perfectly capable of protecting their own interests at the expense of the American People. Our only hope is finding someone who will take them on, which is why I support Newt. I see no one else on the horizon capable of doing that. It is very sad, because our democracy is being stolen from us with their boil the frog tactics.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MCA6QIPPR3EXRQRYL3MVYJSKLQ Joe

I am starting to think the possibility of a true Third Party spoiler is in the making. Is there an Intrade bet on this yet?

In a little more than 60 days the American people will find our selves right back in the middle of the damn payrolltax/docfix/UEextension/keystonepipe debacle all over again; it will not be pretty.

The distaste for our entire government is really growing. Based on more than one conversation between strangers I happened to overhear yesterday in my day-before-the-day before adventures, pitchforks may be closer than ever.

UPDATE (12.53am): Sources at RPV are telling me that the 2,000 signatures do not have addresses on them… meaning that they cannot be verified. Newt Gingrich may very well be off the ticket in Virginia, folks…

UPDATE (1:31am): ”Soon…” this will be over. Still doesn’t sound good for Newt.

UPDATE (1:39am): Final update from RPV should be coming in the next hour or so. Still not looking good for Newt on the inside.

UPDATE (1:41am): Well folks… if you’re truly this
interested, stick around for the RPV press release… otherwise, I
relinquish control of the live-blogging and say g’night and Merry
Christmas Eve!

UPDATE (1:52am): NEWT IS OUT. RPV TO UPDATE SHORTLY.

Wbboe

Interesting. This will go to litigation. If Paul wins Iowa or comes in second, then he will not be on a roll. My media sources tell me that the dims and their media allies will say the Republicans have gone wacko. Hence, Romney allies will move in to eliminate him “for the good of the party.” The racist charges and leaving us unprotected against terrorism will be the inevitable line of attack. That is the way this game will play out. That is one piece of the emerging puzzle. They see him in the same light as the Dims saw Howard Dean, which is unfortunate because unlike Dean, Ron Paul really does care about the country and the Constitution. Dean on the other hand is a fat repulsive whore and he is tied to Wall Street through his family. Notice that Paul will be eliminated in Virginia too. This puts the Virginia Republican Party on the hot seat and heads will roll. This has implications for the presidential election and the senate seat which will be vacated by Jim Webb.
——————————————————————–
Posted by Moe Lane (Diary)
Friday, December 23rd at 10:00PM EST
87 CommentsOr possibly “mess,” depending:Rick Perry’s definitely not certified, but is going to contest the results.
Newt Gingrich may be certified; there’s this report (via @allahpundit), but I’ve seen no confirmation elsewhere and the VA GOP site is currently melting down. [UPDATE: that report has now been walked back.]
Presumably Ron Paul will be next, as he has not actually gotten 15K signatures. [UPDATE: turns out that he was already certified.]This plays out one of three ways:It’s Paul/Romney. In which case, we have a problem: as @bdomenech notes, “No party registration. Anyone can vote.” Even if Romney wins, the Republican Party of Virginia’s name is going to be mud for a while among the grassroots. Gov. McDonnell can alsoforget about a VP spot, should he be wanting one. Lastly: expect the cry that the fix was in. Whether you like it or not (I don’t, myself).
It’s Gingrich/Paul/Romney. I actually expect this to be the most likely scenario. Awful for Perry, of course, but it still keeps the entire thing from looking like a backroom deal to keep Gingrich from winning Virginia – which will be alleged, if Gingrich is off the ballot. In fact, I think that it’s being alleged now.
It’s Gingrich/Paul/Perry/Romney. I don’t know how they’d manage that at this point, but then the Democrats didn’t know how to pass Obamacare until they managed it, either. First rule of political organization: there’s always an arcane rule. I note this though merely for informational purposes; it’s low-probability.Lastly: I’m not going to waste my time by telling people that they shouldn’t speculate about the fix being in, but at least try to find some evidence first, OK?Moe Lane

http://twitter.com/Juliezzz Juliezzz

The very idea that someone has to take Paul out for the good of the party is bull crap. That’s code for “if he ain’t a made mafia good fella with a nod from Godfather Bush then for the good of all our criminal friends we will put a hit on Paul.”

Republican party plays this election dirty…..and we know they will….they can kiss goodbye to the white house for many many many years to come. They will cause such a rift that I believe a 3rd party will be permanently formed. Republicans will lose so many people that they’ll never get the majority again.

By all means, rig elections like they always do. This year is different though. Rig it this year and face the destruction of the party.

Gingrich deserved what he got. He didn’t get enough signatures. He knew the rules way ahead of time. The man can’t organize his way out of a wet paper bag. Gingrich and Perry certainly had enough money to get the job done. He can claim foul, stamp his feet, and sue all he wants, but it doesn’t change the fact that he dropped the ball.

Dorinda

What tells you that Paul will be eliminated? He is certified. Since he submitted less than 15,000, as determined by the RPV, his signatures were supposedly verified.

Also, can you explain your comments that the RPV heads will roll? No candidate has been disqualified since the current election code setting the numbers was put in practice in 1999. Surely, RPV knows this is big and they had to get it right when they counted. All petitions will be maintained in the event of a legal challenge. Can’t imagine Newt has the money to pay for such a challenge.

Dorinda

This was incorrectly posted as a reply to Juliezzz. Meant it to reply to Wbboe.

Wbboe

Cause and effect. Protecting the party brand. Re-read what I said. If you doubt it, just wait and see.

I slept on this overnight, and gained this fresh insight. The net effect of the emerging puzzle MAY, repeat may be, to elevate the candidacy of Huntsman. Previously, I saw no path to the nomination for him. I now do. He is less vulnerable than Romney and is a safe bet for the Washington elites who control the political process. However, other pieces of the puzzle tell me he will be no more effective than Romney in attracting the base, and that is why I told people who were his supporters that he needed to either reach out to them rather than giving them the fuck you he did in the beginning. Or else he needs to win enough indies to compensate for the the conservatives who will stay home. I am not an expert in escotology but I doubt the Bible tells us what happens if we lose the Battle of Armageddon. Stay tuned. I hope I am just missing something which will change the outcome. But doubling down on previously held positions will not work. The facts are changing.

Wbboe

What I meant by a safe bet for the Washington elites, what I meant was he is one of them and will not rock THEIR boat. That is what terrifies them about Newt. Even if he saves the country, if that means there is one less morsel of caviar on their sterling siliver plates, then they are unalterably opposed to him, even to our chargrin our friends at FOX.

Anonymous

more coming too.

Anonymous

Fascinating, Juliezzz. Thanks for the news update.

Sounds like Virginia goes out of its way to make it as difficult as possible for these candidates to qualify, without having to pay BIG BUCKS to ensure that their people gathering signatures are excellent. With so many balls in the air at this point in a presidential campaign, it is a bit much to demand the resources apparently required to qualify, by this date, for Virginia. — Bronwyn

Anonymous

I agree. Perry (and Huntsman) would have had to begin collecting signatures almost immediately after announcing to collect as many signatures as Romney, who already had a team in place from 2008 ready to go in Virginia on August 1.

puma_for_life

Well, actually, Dennis Kucinich had no problem qualifying in 2008 and it was harder to do it in VA then as you had to also have the social security number of each signer. Simply, Gingrich and Perry do not have an organization in place capable of getting the most basic function done in a successful manner. Obviously, Romny and Paul do. If you want to see something truly amazing, go to the DailyPaul and watch the video on the brochure distribution. I have never seen anything like it before in a primary campaign.

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